1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to processes for preparing m-phenoxybenzylalcohol and derivatives thereof useful as pesticides. More particularly, this invention relates to
1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING M-PHENOXYBENZYL AND/OR M-PHENOXYBENZAL HALIDES WHICH COMPRISES HALOGENATING M-PHENOXYTOLUENE IN THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REGION ABOVE 220.degree. C in the presence of phosphorus halides,
2. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING M-PHENOXYBENZYLALCOHOL WHICH COMPRISES REACTING THE CRUDE HALOGENATED PRODUCT OBTAINED IN THE PROCESS (1) ABOVE WITH AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF ACETIC ACID TO PREPARE M-PHENOXYBENZYLACETATE AND M-PHENOXYBENZALDEHYDE, AND THEN REDUCING AND HYDROLYZING THE RESULTING M-PHENOXYBENZYLACETATE AND M-PHENOXYBENZALDEHYDE, AND
3. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING M-PHENOXYBENZYLALCOHOL WHICH COMPRISES REDUCING A MIXTURE OF M-PHENOXYBENZYLACETATE AND M-PHENOXYBENZALDEHYDE AND THEN REACTING THE RESULTING PRODUCT WITH ACETIC ANHYDRIDE AND AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF ACETIC ACID TO CONVERT M-PHENOXYBENZALDEHYDE IN THE MIXTURE INTO M-PHENOXYBENZYLACETATE AND FINALLY HYDROLYZING M-PHENOXYBENZLACETATE
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In recent years, much efforts have been made to meet the need for lowering the toxicity of pesticides to mammals and cattle, however satisfactory results have not yet been obtained. It is, therefore, considered as a matter of course that the natural pesticides or their homologues, particularly insecticidal compounds called "Pyrethroid" have come to attract much attention which have widely been used for controlling insanitary insects due to their high insecticidal activities and yet showing only low toxicity to mammals.
It is regretful, however, that most of the natural pesticides cannot sufficiently be made use of their advantages because of their high price, and it has promoted investigations of insecticides of low price, high insecticidal activity and low toxicity.